Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-22

ooees heES tueIe uau Uttu more SNOW out IL
had not fallen in such quantities as had been
reported. 1t was only comfortable sleishing.
One the afternoon of February %, and dur
ing the evening, it showed some. 1t is there
fore probable that Stain and his pals started
from Boston in carriage. and that they must
have either retained it or obtained sleigh.
1t is not likely that young Stain could have
given definite information on this particular.
He says he was in prison, Sheriff Littlefeld
says so, Cromwell says so and all say SO.
when the deed was committed. But this par
ticular is not of so much importance as an
other statement made by him that, the con-
fession made to him by his father after he
(young Stain) returned from Thomaston
That young Stain had this information is
proven by the statement made by Harvey
who says that Cromwell said to him when he
admitted connection with the affair. "D-n
it, the boy could hang both of u.s." meaning
himself and Stain.
Again the particulars which young ST il
says his father confessed are well sustained
by evidence. He says that as Cromwell,
Scott and Stain came down from the hall
above, they saw man pass out of the bank
| and go down stairs. This man was no. other
than Mr.. Parsons, the insurance agent, who
had desk in the bank office. Still again be
says as his father and Cromwell advanced into
the office, into which they had gained sdmis
| sion by keys, that they met Barron, and sur
prised, in the emergency of the moment his
father dealt him two blows with slung shot
The bruises were plainly visible on Mr.. Bar
ron's head when found. The particulars re-
garding the further treatpent of the body
were all well evidenced by the discoveries
made at the time. Even the bunch of keys
declared stolen have since been found where
it was stated they were hidden.
There are, it is true, many important points
to be made to the contrary of all this. Stain
is liar and thief. HIS character is against
him. His history is that of criminal. He
has told too many stories, and the closing
sentences of his confession are lies. He
here states that he has disclosed all this dew
iltry not for any reward, &c. He offered his
story to Mrs. Barron, to score of newspG-
pers and lawyers and never did he repeat the
same story twice although the main points
were the same. His reason-that of fear of
his fsther-for keeping the secret so long, is
not good. He has never shown himself
afraid of human beings except when guilty of
Tbop again his nle odipu for his
father not to shoot him is all nonsense, if he
told the truth when he said that his father
was prostrated by shock; for men who are
stricken with paralysis do not generally -four
ish pistols and lombard the walls with bull
lets, to frighten or to fegn suicide. Then
again it is not the custom of bank crackers to
go through so many institutions as he says
these three did, or tried to. The Dexter and
other, to say nothing of the boldness in at
/ tempting to crack the Waterville bank. In
| his original confession he has been exceed
ingly inaccurate in giving dates and figures.
and these errors (?) are source OF consid-
erable importance to some.
! BY the way, the alibi business has ''busted
up" to use a common expression. Cromwell
was the first to claim this method Of defence
but when testimony was obtained to the eft,
feet that all cracksmen keep false records
with paid parties and that the parties in the
cases Of both Stain and Cromwell were dead,
this racket was declared over. 1t is reported
that both men were very much exercised
when they were informed that a traitor had
given this means OF defence an airing and
that they exhibited the first signs Of despair
which they have shown since they were ar
rested.
1t is impossible to tell at this time what the
opinion of the people upon the guilt of the
prisoners, but so far the Journal man hal
found fewer persons who hold to the suicide
of Barron. A later dispatch may contain
more news upon the matter.
THE Journal has two reporters on tn,
ground.-ED
Second nispafch.